Ol' Doc's Football Forecast Week 2

September 6, 2012 - Al Stephenson

Ol' Doc Stephenson went 2-1 in his first foray into football prognosticating. I was correct in predicting that Alabama would defeat Michigan, though I didn't think it would be as bad as it was. Michigan fans are probably reeling a bit while SEC proponents gave a big "ho-hum" attitude to the lambasting. Ohio State fans were probably chuckling as they watched the game, but beware Buckeye boosters - Michigan is not as bad as they looked (Bama will make a lot of teams look bad) and Ohio State is probably not as good as they appeared in the last three quarters against Miami.

I also said Michigan State would beat Boise State, but missed out on Ohio's upset of Penn State. More interesting might be my score predictions. I said OU would score 24 and Boise State 13. I hit those numbers on the head and missed Michigan by a point. I said 13, the Wolverines put 14 on the board. My gut feeling after Week 1 is that Penn State may be in for a long, long season if not decade.

Choosing three interesting games in Week 2 is tough as many teams are putting more cupcakes on the schedule. Savannah State was pounded in Week 1 84-0 by Oklahoma State. This week they go against Florida State. Ol' Doc could have chosen that one, but I'm not here to pad my record. Hopefully Savannah State gets a big paycheck to get trounced. This week at least they don't have to travel so far to get drubbed.

Here we go in Week 2.

Utah State at Utah. The Aggies directional opponent in Week 1 was Southern Utah whom they dispatched 34-3. The Utes looked to the east to play Northern Colorado and came away unchallenged in a 41-0 whitewash. With little knowledge of either team, Ol' Doc will make his prediction on two factors. Urban Meyer used to coach at Utah and a Ute should be able to handle an Aggie. Pac-12 beats the Wac.

Utah 31 Utah State 23.

Iowa State at Iowa. Sense a theme here. In another backyard brawl that has little meaning outside of corn country, it is a matchup of Big 12 versus Big 10. Numerically that gives the advantage to the Cyclones, but not so fast. For many years my wife and I had each been to 49 states. She had been to Hawaii and I had not, but I had been to Iowa (just passing through I'm sure) and she somehow missed it. We both have completed our mission of making it to all 50 states now, but while in Iowa City we drove past Kinnick Stadium. That's enough for me.

Iowa 24 Iowa State 17.

Georgia at Missouri. One of the few interesting matchups this week. The Tigers will be welcomed to the SEC by the Bulldogs. Missouri brings the spread offense against a typically tough SEC defense. Georgia is one of those teams that seem really good, but throw in a couple of pathetic efforts each season to come up short in the national picture. Despite that possibility, the Dogs will not lay an egg in this one. I still see images of Uga trying to neuter that opposing player. How can I pick against the Bulldogs? Your day will come Mizzou, just not this weekend.

Georgia 34 Missouri 24.

The view from my seat suggests that if nothing else happens this weekend, Savannah State will NOT lose by 84!